Joe Garza Jr. was arrestedĀ March 3 for possession of child pornography by police in Fort Worth, Texas.Ā He was later charged with continuous sexual abuse for allegedly molesting the girl.
The alleged pervert was hit with additional charges of abuse on Tuesday, as prosecutors said Garza also molested his victim’s older sister years ago, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. The fresh findings earned Garza a second count of continuous sexual abuse for
The girlās brother was trying to fix his own hard drive when he asked to borrow the 65-year-old neighbours computer. According to Domingo Martinez, a Fort Worth cop assigned to the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force: āWhen he hooked it up, he saw a folder on there,ā Martinez told the newspaper. āCurious, he looked at it, and thatās when he saw pictures of his sister.ā
After the shocking find, the boy gave the computer back to Garza and told his parents. The boyās mother later texted Garza, inviting him over. She confront him about the alleged images, Martinez said.
āThey talked for two hours,ā he said. āI donāt know if he openly admitted it but he said he has a problem and asked her not to call the police and that he would disappear and not come back.ā
The boyās mother then texted her older daughter, telling her to call police. Garza was at the familyās home when officers arrived and admitted to Martinez that he sexually abused the 10-year-old girl.
In an arrest warrant affidavit cited by the Star-Telegram, the suspect also admitted taking photographs and videos of the girl. The apparent serial paedophile also confessed to molesting the girlās older sister when she was about 10 or 11 years old, the affidavit states. As of Tuesday he remains jailed with bail set at $145,000 bail.
Officer Martinez said he believes both girls were abused for at least a year. The older sister, who is now in her teens, told investigators that Garza forced her to wear a blindfold when he abused her.
A forensic search of Garzaās computer revealed photographs and videos of both girls, according to the affidavit. Interviewed, the older sister, now in her teens, confirmed the abuse. She told investigators Garza would make her wear a blindfold when he abused her.
In one of the videos, a girl believed to be the older sister is seen hanging upside down in a dining room from what appears to be a white rope. A search of Garzaās home revealed a wooden contraption with white rope hanging from a rafter in the dining room, according to the affidavit.
The younger girl told officials that Garza told her not to tell her parents about the touching and pictures, and that he bought her various things and gave her money.
Authorities suspect there might be other victims. Anyone with additional information, is asked to call Fort Worth police at (817) 348-1153.
Leave a Reply